2:50The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office released a booking photograph showing former President Donald Trump.Fulton County Sheriff’s Office
In August 2023, Donald Trump, along with 18 others, entered a plea of not guilty to every charge in a far-reaching racketeering indictment concerning purported endeavors to subvert the 2020 presidential election’s outcome in Georgia.
The accusations, presented by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, stem from a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call by then-President Trump, wherein he purportedly urged Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "uncover" the votes required for a victory in the state. The accusations assert that the defendants reached out to state officials across the nation, subjected a Georgia election worker to harassment and deceit, and advanced unfounded assertions of a stolen election, all to ensure Trump’s continued authority despite his defeat.
Subsequently, four of Trump’s fellow defendants opted for plea agreements in return for their commitment to give evidence against other defendants.
The progression of the case is detailed below.
Nov. 3, 2020
Voters participated in the 2020 general election.
Nov. 7, 2020
Based on the anticipated electoral vote tally, numerous media sources, including ABC News, declared Joe Biden the victor, even though the results of several states, notably Georgia, were still pending.
Nov. 10, 2020
The Trump campaign sought a manual recount in Georgia, where Biden held a lead of approximately 14,000 votes out of nearly 5 million votes cast in the presidential contest.
Nov. 11, 2020
Raffensperger, a Republican, stated that owing to the narrow margin between Biden and Trump, the state’s planned audit would initiate a "complete hand recount in every county" for the presidential race.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger attends the National Association of Secretaries of State winter meeting, Feb. 16, 2023, in Washington.Patrick Semansky/AP
Nov. 19, 2020
The results of Georgia’s statewide audit, which involved a manual recount of all presidential race votes in each county, affirmed Biden as the victor with a margin of 12,284 votes. This marked the first instance since 1992 that a Democrat secured victory in the state.
Nov. 20, 2020
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Raffensperger certified the general election results, formally establishing Biden as the recipient of the state’s 16 electoral votes.
Nov. 24, 2020
Following a request from the Trump campaign for a machine recount, Georgia’s 159 counties commenced a third count of the presidential race votes.
Dec. 6, 2020
Raffensperger defended the integrity of the general election, conveying to ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos on "This Week" that his office had yet to discover evidence substantiating "systemic fraud" capable of altering the outcome.
Dec. 7, 2020
Following a recount requested by Trump, Raffensperger and Kemp re-certified the state’s election results, again confirming Biden’s victory in the state. The audit indicated that Biden won by a margin of 11,779 votes.
Dec. 22, 2020
Mark Meadows, the then-White House chief of staff, visited Georgia’s Cobb County to observe a signature match audit.
Dec. 23, 2020
In the midst of the signature match audit in Cobb County, Trump telephoned a chief investigator in Raffensperger’s office to talk about the audit, telling the investigator that they would be lauded for uncovering errors in the vote count, according to a source with knowledge of the call.
Jan. 2, 2021
During an hour-long telephone conversation acquired by ABC News, Trump called Raffensperger and falsely maintained that it was "impossible" for him to have been defeated and asked the secretary to "find 11,780 votes" — precisely the tally Trump required to triumph in Georgia.
"The citizens of Georgia are incensed. The individuals of the nation are incensed, and there’s no harm in acknowledging that you’ve recalculated," Trump asserted on the call. "My sole aim is to locate 11,780 votes, just one more than our current count. … Guys, I need 11,000 votes, do me a favor."
Meadows was also heard speaking on the call.
Raffensperger contested the president’s claims, declaring that the data Trump was using regarding tens of thousands of unlawful votes "is inaccurate."
Feb. 10, 2021
According to a letter received by ABC News, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis informed Kemp that her office had initiated an investigation into efforts by Trump and his associates to overturn the 2020 election results.
The communication urged state officials to safeguard any documents potentially connected to the 2020 general election, "with particular attention to preserving those that may offer evidence of attempts to influence the actions of persons administering" it, encompassing Trump’s dialogue with Raffensperger.
Jan. 20, 2022
As indicated in a letter obtained by ABC News, Willis sought the formation of a special grand jury for her inquiry. In the correspondence to Fulton County Chief Judge Christopher Brasher, Willis articulated that the measure was required because "a considerable number of witnesses and prospective witnesses have declined to collaborate with the investigation without a subpoena compelling their testimony."
May 2, 2022
Twenty-six jurors were chosen for a special grand jury in Willis’ investigation.
The special grand jury lacks the authority to issue an indictment and can only provide guidance concerning criminal prosecution. If charges were advised, the ultimate determination of whether to pursue them would rest with Willis.
July 19, 2022
Newly surfaced court filings disclose that 16 individuals designated as "fake electors" have been made aware that they are focal points of the Fulton County district attorney’s criminal inquiry.
Aug. 15, 2022
Sources familiar with the matter indicate that Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, was apprised that he is considered a "target" of the Fulton County district attorney’s investigation. Among his actions aimed at overturning the state’s election results, Giuliani gave testimony during a December 2020 session before state lawmakers, where he presented later-discredited claims that poll workers handled suitcases containing illegitimate ballots.
Nov. 1, 2022
The U.S. Supreme Court turned down Sen. Lindsey Graham’s effort to obstruct a subpoena compelling testimony before the special grand jury. Graham had contacted Georgia election authorities to talk about the election in the wake of the 2020 election.
Nov. 8, 2022
Voters in Georgia cast their ballots in a primary election where Raffensperger was seeking reelection for his role as secretary of state. Trump endorsed Rep. Jody Hice in the primary.
Nov. 18, 2022
State election officials revealed that a manual examination of random batches of votes confirmed Raffensperger’s reelection.
Jan. 9, 2023
A recent filing showed that the special grand jury concluded its duties and submitted its concluding report after conducting months of private testimony.
The jurors heard statements from some of Trump’s closest allies and backers, including attorneys Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman, in addition to Sen. Graham.
Jan. 24, 2023
During a hearing, Willis stated that decisions regarding charges in the case were "approaching."
Feb. 13, 2023
Fulton County Judge Robert McBurney decreed that select segments of the special grand jury’s report could be made public in the coming days, although the majority of the report would remain confidential. Willis had argued in favor of keeping the report under seal, noting the importance of "protecting the rights of future defendants."
Feb. 16, 2023
Excerpts from the special grand jury’s report were released, exposing that the jury had proposed to prosecutors that they pursue indictments against witnesses suspected of having lied during their statements.
"A majority of the grand jury is of the opinion that perjury may have been committed by one or more individuals providing testimony before it," the grand jury expressed in the report. "The Grand Jury advises that the District Attorney initiate appropriate indictments for such offenses where the evidence is compelling."
The excerpts from the report do not name any individuals whom grand jury members believe may have committed perjury, nor do they provide any justification for its perjury accusations.
There are also no details shared regarding whether the grand jury suggested charges for anyone involved in attempts to overturn the election. The excerpts do not recognize any of the 75 witnesses who were interviewed and make no mention of Trump by name.
Following their release, a representative for Trump stated that the excerpts "have no relevance to the President because President Trump engaged in absolutely no wrongdoing."
"The President engaged in two flawless phone conversations concerning election integrity in Georgia, an action he is entitled to undertake — indeed, as President, it was President Trump’s Constitutional obligation to assure election safety, security, and integrity," the spokesperson declared.
Feb. 21, 2023
In a string of print and television interviews, Emily Kohrs, the special grand jury’s foreperson, revealed that jurors advised charges for several individuals, without explicitly identifying them — and suggested that the former president was among them.
"It shouldn’t come as a surprise," Kohrs told The New York Times when asked whether her panel recommended charges against Trump. "It’s not complex."
March 20, 2023
Trump’s lawyers submitted requests to the Fulton County Superior Court and the Georgia Supreme Court seeking to nullify the special grand jury report and remove the district attorney’s office from leading the probe.
April 24, 2023
In a letter to law enforcement, Willis indicated that her office would announce any charging decisions between July 11 and Sept. 1, 2023.
May 5, 2023
According to their lawyer, eight of the "fake electors" consented to immunity in the Fulton County district attorney’s investigation into the matter.
July 11, 2023
Willis selected a new grand jury, which could eventually decide whether to approve charges against Trump.
July 17, 2023
The Georgia Supreme Court denied Trump’s request to quash the special grand jury’s findings and remove Willis from the investigation.
July 29, 2023
In response to a third request filed by Trump seeking to disqualify Willis from the election probe, Senior Superior Court Judge Stephen Schuster scheduled a hearing for Aug. 10. The request was submitted on July 20, after the Georgia Supreme Court rejected a similar appeal.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks at a news conference in Atlanta, May 11, 2021.Linda So/Reuters, FILE
July 31, 2023
Judge McBurney rejected the motion submitted to Fulton County Superior Court by Trump’s legal team seeking to disqualify Willis and nullify the findings of a special grand jury convened to examine evidence in the matter.
Willis, in the meantime, suggested that an indictment of the former president might be imminent, telling a local media outlet, "We’ve been diligently working for two and a half years — we’re prepared to proceed."
Aug. 4, 2023
Trump’s lawyers filed a notice of appeal, signaling their intention to appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court Judge McBurney’s ruling, which turned down Trump’s request to remove Willis from the investigation and nullify the special grand jury’s report.
The filing followed a day after Trump withdrew his remaining motion seeking Willis’ removal from the case.
Aug. 8, 2023
ABC News sources stated that Willis would likely go before the grand jury the week after to present her case, enabling the panel to deliberate on possible charges.
In the meantime, after a day of opposing motions from the special counsel’s office and Trump’s legal team concerning a proposed protective order in the case, Judge Chutkan scheduled a hearing on the matter for Friday, Aug. 11.
Aug. 9, 2023
ABC News reported that a newly revealed memo from Dec. 6, 2020, outlined a strategy by Trump attorney Kenneth Chesebro to pursue slates of supposedly "alternate" electors in order to stop Biden from securing 270 electoral votes.
Prosecutors argued that Chesebro was collaborating with the Trump legal team to pinpoint avenues for contesting the election’s outcome, thus keeping Trump in office.
Aug. 10, 2023
According to a copy of the memo secured by ABC News, Willis reacted to a recent attack advertisement from Trump by issuing an internal memo to her staff, encouraging them not to respond and declaring that "This is a professional matter, not a personal one."
"We harbor no personal animosity towards those we investigate or prosecute, and we should not express any," Willis expressed.
Aug. 12, 2023
Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and journalist George Chidi, both previously subpoenaed in the investigation, were asked to appear before the grand jury early the week after, given Willis’ expectation to present the case to the panel to assess potential charges.
Duncan, a Republican, has been openly critical of Trump and the efforts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results. A spokesperson informed ABC News that Democratic Georgia state Sen. Jen Jordan had also been subpoenaed to appear before the grand jury.
Aug. 14, 2023
Willis filed charges against Trump and 18 others in a comprehensive racketeering indictment concerning their endeavors to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. The indictment states that they solicited state officials across the country, subjected a Georgia election worker to harassment and deceit, and advanced unfounded assertions of a stolen election, all to ensure Trump’s continued authority despite his defeat.
The alleged scheme involved some of Trump’s closest advisors during his tenure as president, including his former chief of staff Mark Meadows and his former personal attorney Rudy Giuliani.
Trump’s campaign labeled the indictment "un-American and flawed." The former president insisted that his actions were not unlawful and that the inquiry was politically driven.
Aug. 22, 2023
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee set Trump’s bail at $200,000 as part of the bond arrangements for the 19 defendants in the Georgia case.
According to Georgia law, the bond can be settled through cash, a commercial surety, or a court initiative requiring a payment of 10% of the bond amount.
Aug. 24, 2023
Trump and the 18 other defendants in the DA’s case surrendered to authorities at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta. Except for one defendant who was held without bond, Trump and 17 other defendants were processed and released on bail.
Following Trump’s release on a $200,000 bond, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office issued his mug shot — the first instance of a former U.S. president being photographed in this way. Despite Trump having been indicted in three other criminal instances, this marks the initial occasion a jurisdiction has necessitated a mug shot of the former president.
Former President Donald Trump is shown in a booking photo released by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.Fulton County Sheriff’s Office
Four defendants — former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark, former Georgia GOP chair David Shafer, and recently elected Georgia state Sen. Shawn Still — submitted requests to have their cases transferred from Georgia state court to federal court.
Attorney Kenneth Chesebro submitted a motion for an expedited trial, prompting DA Willis to request a trial start date of Oct. 23, 2023, for all 19 defendants — leading Judge McAfee to schedule an Oct. 23 trial date for Chesebro alone.
Aug. 28, 2023
Mark Meadows, in his endeavor to have his case transferred from Georgia state court to federal court, testified regarding his election-related activities in a hearing before U.S. District Judge Steve Jones. Meadows’ attorneys argued that his case should be heard in federal court because Meadows’ activities were conducted "under the authority" of his role as chief of staff, whereas prosecutors contended that his actions were political and not part of his official obligations.
In the meantime, Judge McAfee scheduled Sept. 6 as the date for Trump and his 18 co-defendants to be arraigned on charges.
Aug. 29, 2023
Willis requested Judge McAfee to clarify whether the Oct. 23 trial date he set for Cheseboro implied severing Chesebro’s case from the other 18 defendants — reminding the judge that her preference was to try all 19 defendants together.
The filing transpired as defendants Ray Smith III, Sidney Powell, and Trevian Kutti relinquished their formal arraignment and pleaded not guilty to every charge, thus being excused from attending their scheduled arraignments on Sept. 6.
In a separate filing, Kenneth Chesebro asked Judge McAfee to unseal numerous underlying records in the case, including the special grand jury report advising charges, the transcripts of testimony presented to the panel, and any recordings of the proceedings.
Aug. 30, 2023
Citing the right to a fair trial and due process, Trump’s attorneys submitted a motion opposing Willis’ request for all 19 defendants to be tried together.
The filing occurred as Harrison Floyd — the sole defendant held overnight after surrendering to authorities the previous week — was released from the Fulton County Jail, according to the inmate database.
Aug. 31, 2023
Trump entered a plea of not guilty to avoid attending his scheduled arraignment on Sept. 6, then submitted a motion to sever his case from other defendants who had requested an expedited trial.
Sept. 6, 2023
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
